A Sweet And Savoury Journey Through Home Cooking

drinks

This makes a delightful drink that is creamy without cream, flavoured with vanilla and just a hint of coconut.

After I posted Homemade Irish Cream I had a request for a dairy free version. Now, when making things like this, whether it be gluten free, or dairy free, I don’t want the best part of the recipe to be the absence of the ingredient, but rather I like them to be delicious in their own right. For instance, I prefer the extra chewiness that the chana flour imparts to My Favourite Brownies, so I make them this way whether or not I’m making them for someone who is gluten intolerant.

This one is a little more effort than the Homemade Irish Cream, but if you’re looking for something dairy free, or just something a little different, it’s a win.

Makes: about 4 1/2 cups or about 1L

Time: about 20 minutes to reduce coconut milk, + cooling time

You will need:

2 cans of full fat coconut milk (2 x 398 mL) or 28oz

2 1/2 cups (20oz) of Wiser’s Vanilla Whisky or other vanilla whisky

1/2 cup brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar, but regular will work)

2 tbsp of chocolate syrup

1/4 tsp almond extract

In saucepan or pot, pour contents of two cans of coconut milk and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Whisk together and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about 1/3 or 8oz – this took about 20 minutes for me, but will depend on the surface area of your pan, if you are using a pan or pot with larger surface area, it will take less time, if you are using a regular pot, it will take longer. If you skip this step it will result in a rather watery end product.

Once reduced, remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Add 2 1/2 cups vanilla whiskey, 2 tbsp chocolate syrup and 1/4 tsp of almond extract to the cooled coconut milk. Whisk together until blended and pour into a container. Keep refrigerated for at least a month- though it’s probably good for much longer but my bottle ends up mysteriously empty sooner. Shake well after being refrigerated.

Enjoy on the rocks or added to coffee.

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Rum and eggnog is perhaps the quintessential Christmas holiday drink. I felt like they would make a good match in a quick loaf, but unfortunately all the recipes I looked through either called for vanilla pudding mix or edible oil product flavoured coffee creamer, or only used artificial rum extract. Was it not possible to make a loaf with just… egg nog and… actual rum? It turns out that it is 🙂

And since you have the rum and eggnog and nutmeg out already, you know, you may as well make yourself a drink while you’re waiting for this to come out of the oven.

Makes: 1 loaf

Oven: 350F

Time: prep 10 minutes, bake 40-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean – baking time will depend a bit on the type of pan you use, and your individual oven. Check at 40 minutes – mine took 50 minutes.

You will need:

For the bread:

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup spiced rum

3/4 cup egg nog

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)

2 tbsp spiced rum

2 tsp egg nog

pinch of ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Using either a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add 2 eggs, 1/4 cup spiced rum, 3/4 cup egg nog and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the butter and sugar and mix until thoroughly combined.

Add dry ingredients to wet, and stir together with a spoon until just combined. Batter should be lumpy. Pour into a lightly greased loaf pan.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 40-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Turn out and allow to cool completely before glazing.

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The homemade “Bailey’s”recipes usually make the pinterest rounds at Christmas, but really it’s good any time. Most of the recipes make a bit of an annoying amount as you always end up either with Irish whiskey left over, or not enough to quite double it or equally annoying amounts of condensed milk either left over, or needing a can and a bit. I fiddled with the amounts here in order to use an entire 750mL of Irish whiskey and one can of sweetened condensed milk. Store in the fridge- keeps at least 2 months.

750mL Bailey’s $29.95

750mL Tullamore DEW $33.95

It works out to about $18 per 750mL of the homemade concoction when you account for the other ingredients. So cost savings, plus delicious!!!!

Makes: a smidge more than 1.5L – use the extra in your coffee immediately

Time: less than 10 minutes

You will need:

750mL (25oz) of Tullamore DEW or other Irish whisky of your choice

2 tsp almond extract

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp instant coffee (this happens to be the amount in one of the little starbucks instant coffee packages)

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together until well mixed. Funnel into 2 750mL containers with lids. Give a good shake before using. It can be stored in the fridge for at least 2 months. Be aware, when you first mix it up, it will taste quite ‘boozy’ ha, ha, especially if you’re doing it in the morning! It does mellow out quite a bit even in the first few hours, and definitely in the first few days.

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I enjoy this variation on rum punch as I find it less sweet than many other versions. This drink is perfect on a hot summer day, or on a freezing winter one to bring you visions of sandy beaches and warm salt water.

Time: 2 minutes 🙂

Serves: for one drink easily doubled/tripled etc – if there is interest I can post amount for a jug 🙂

juice of half a lime

1 1/2 oz dark spiced rum

1 1/2 oz coconut water

2 oz pineapple juice

drizzle of grenadine

dash of angostura bitters

ice

Fill glass with ice. Add juice of half a lime, rum, coconut water, pineapple juice. Give a little stir with a straw, then add a drizzle of grenadine and a dash of bitters.

*if you don’t have coconut water or pineapple juice, orange juice will work too and is pretty with the grenadine but your drink will be considerably sweeter.

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I love rhubarb. That being said, it’s the one thing my husband has put a firm foot down about. I am absolutely not allowed to grow that ugly monster of a plant anywhere in our yard. He even mowed down a hosta last summer thinking that I was trying to sneak some in. He insists that people who have rhubarb always have too much anyway and I can just ask people for it.

Annnnnnd I have to admit I have built up a pretty good network of rhubarb growing friends who are happy to share their bounty with me, so I guess he’s right 🙂

This is a lovely use of it, and I can’t help but eat a few spoonfuls of the ‘pulp’ leftover on toast. It keeps for at least a month in the fridge, probably longer, though I’ve never had any left for that long!

my bounty of rhubarb, washed, chopped and ready for the freezer

Time: 3o min

Makes: 2.5-3 cups syrup

You will need:

2 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cup chopped strawberries

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup water

Place all ingredients in a pot on medium heat. Let bubble away for about 20-25 minutes until the fruit is broken down.

Set aside to cool. Using a fine sieve, strain fruit from syrup. Makes about 2 cups if you are impatient, about 3 cups if you are patient and just walk away while it’s straining and go do something else 🙂 Put into a mason jar, or if you have a nice bottle that will do too. Refrigerate promptly.

To use- give your bottle a bit of a shake before use. Mix with soda water or lemonade. Or soda water and vodka. Or bubbly wine as seen in photo. Enjoy!